This R13 proposal by the Program Chair (as PI) seeks support of selected junior and minority-class podium speakers, and 3 graduate student poster research presentation awards at the Biomaterials Interfaces Division (BID) Technical Meeting program, part of the AVS 53rd International Symposium and Exhibition occurring November 12- 17, 2006 at the Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco, CA. The general theme of this year's BID technical conference is centered on progress and innovations in characterization and control of biological interactions with materials, surfaces and structures, across several scaling regimes, from the macroscopic to nanoscopic. The program design keeps with its highly regarded tradition in bringing together world-renowned scientists, bioengineers and clinicians all seeking to understand materials- centered issues in the context of bio-interfacial research and technology. My specific aims in assembling this meeting are to: 1) Provide a rich, diverse scientific program focusing on both fundamental phenomena that constrain bio-performance of biomaterials and biotechnology in several biomedical and diagnostic arenas (i.e., hurdles of moving toward translational research), as well as key areas of materials- biology interactions where investigators are engineering solutions to either biotechnological (e.g., bio-assay, sensing) or more clinically relevant (implant materials, drug delivery, imaging, tissue engineering) problems using novel approaches from a surface, analytical, materials engineering and/or biological perspective; 2) Gather a group of presenters and participants comprising widely acknowledged thought-leaders as well as younger, aggressive, and vibrant faculty already notable for the novelty and quality of their work. Speakers and session chairs will represent both academic and commercial research efforts, comprising diagnostic and imaging experts, bioengineers, and basic surface and materials scientists all working in this area of biomaterials and drug delivery, imaging techniques, diagnostic methods, device and tissue engineering. Emphasis will be placed on junior participants and under-represented components of the population involved in these areas. This group will similarly represent the gender diversity characteristic of faculty working in these areas; 3) Facilitate interactions between junior and under-represented minority scientists and faculty working in the biomaterials, surface analytical, miniaturization, diagnostic, drug delivery, MEMs and bioengineering areas with prominent senior and international investigators in the field. A number of relevant leading scientists and engineers from companies working in these technology areas are also recruited to participate using the new "Commercial Challenge" podium opportunity. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]